Kashmiris across world mark 78th anniversary of Indian occupation
Muzaffarabad: October 27 marks the darkest day in the history of Jammu and Kashmir, as it was on this day in 1947 that India illegally occupied a large part of the princely state. Kashmiris on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) and across the world are observing Black Day today to reaffirm their resolve for freedom.
According to historical accounts, on October 27, 1947, India forcibly landed its troops in Jammu and Kashmir, violating the principles of the partition of the subcontinent.
Since then, the people of Kashmir have continued their struggle for self-determination, enduring decades of violence and oppression. Reports suggest that in the past 34 years, nearly 100,000 Kashmiris have been killed.
Despite United Nations (UN) resolutions promising the right to self-determination, Kashmiris have yet to be granted this right. Observers and analysts have called on the international community to play a decisive role in ensuring a fair plebiscite in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.
Every year, Kashmiris across the globe mark October 27 as Black Day to highlight what they describe as Indian aggression and human rights violations in the occupied territory.
Rallies, protests, and seminars are held worldwide to draw attention to the ongoing struggle and to reject India’s unilateral measures, including the revocation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, which stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special constitutional status.
Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), Chaudhry Anwar-ul-Haq, described October 27 as the darkest day in the region’s history, saying India violated the principles of partition by deploying its forces against the wishes of the Kashmiri people and occupying part of the territory.
He said India’s claim over Jammu and Kashmir, based on the so-called Instrument of Accession, was rejected by the United Nations, and that the people of Jammu and Kashmir have never accepted Indian rule. He added that India continues to commit grave human rights violations in the occupied territory.
Citing historical atrocities, Anwar-ul-Haq recalled that in November 1947, Indian troops, Dogra forces, and extremists from the RSS and Akali Dal massacred nearly 250,000 Muslims in Jammu. Since 1989, more than 96,000 civilians have been killed in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK).
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif also issued separate messages on the occasion, calling upon the international community—particularly the United Nations and global human rights organizations—to hold India accountable for what they termed “grave and systematic human rights violations” in IIOJK.
President Zardari said the United Nations “owes it to the Kashmiri people” to ensure justice and peace, adding that lasting stability in South Asia depends on a just resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute in accordance with UN Security Council resolutions.
He said that on this day in 1947, Indian forces entered Srinagar in blatant violation of international law and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people, marking the beginning of one of the darkest chapters in modern history. Since then, generations of Kashmiris have endured repression, violence, and denial of their fundamental rights.
Referring to the events of August 5, 2019, the president said India’s unilateral revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status intensified its “brutal campaign,” which included a military siege, destruction of properties, and the enforcement of draconian laws that curtail fundamental freedoms.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said that peace and stability in South Asia would remain elusive without the just and peaceful resolution of the Jammu and Kashmir dispute. He reaffirmed Pakistan’s unwavering political, moral, and diplomatic support for the Kashmiri people in their struggle for self-determination.